Chapter Thirty: Detailed Intelligence

The brothers Song Bing and Song Wu were originally subordinates of Xiang Rui. In the northern frontier, Xiang Rui made his living through the trafficking of horses and salt. Regardless of his background or who might be backing him, such illicit activities would mean certain death if discovered by the authorities. Consequently, his key subordinates were exceptionally sharp and cautious.

Luo Fang had ordered his men to scout from the heights, but the Song brothers had discovered something unusual on the mountain first.

"Officials! We are nothing but refugees displaced here, driven up this mountain by the Northern Barbarians. Please, do not hold it against us!"

As Xue Chengqian and Luo Fang led their group toward them, the refugees who had fled up the mountain knelt and kowtowed in terror. Looking down at their own military uniforms and then at the pathetic state of the refugees, both Xue and Luo felt a mixture of embarrassment and indignation. They were not members of the aloof aristocracy; they were men who truly understood the plight of the common people.

In theory, with the Northern Barbarians invading their homes, the "imperial army" should have been the refugees' hope and reliance. Yet, facing the "imperial army," the refugees were as terrified as if they were confronting the cruel barbarians themselves.

There is a saying: "Ritual does not extend to the commoners, and punishment does not reach the high officials." The Great Liang imperial army only protected the aristocracy, or at the very least, the wealthy households capable of offering them benefits. As for the ordinary refugees... it was considered an act of mercy if they were not viewed as a burden. When "their own kind" were the only ones around, unrestrained by military discipline, they could murder the refugees and seize their meager belongings, blaming it on the Northern Barbarians afterward. Who would be able to tell the difference?

Luo Fang felt both shaken and conflicted. He had always hoped to regain the court’s recognition, wipe away the shame of his previous defeat, and perhaps even bring honor to his family alongside his brothers. But was this truly the right path? Looking "down," these refugees feared him like a tiger—was this what he wanted? As for looking "up"... there was no need; one only had to consider his own status and the aristocrats who truly occupied the high positions.

Xue Chengqian was different. Even before he obtained the Heavenly Mandate System, and certainly when his sister’s life was truly threatened, he had already charted his own course.

"Everyone, do not be afraid! We are only here to deal with the Northern Barbarians!" Xue called out. "When were you driven up this mountain? Have you noticed any movements of the Northern Barbarians in the vicinity?"

They pushed an old man surnamed Liu forward to answer. "Officials, are you really going to fight the Northern Barbarians? Do you have enough men to drive them all away?"

Xue Chengqian was momentarily embarrassed. "Cough... the main imperial army is still behind us. We must first scout the movements of the barbarians for the main force. Old Man Liu, if you know anything about their movements, tell us everything. We must not let this chance slip."

"Only by driving the barbarians away can you return home in time to farm. We must not miss the spring planting next year."

Old Man Liu nodded repeatedly. He did not believe the imperial army had suddenly had a change of heart, but he knew that only they could drive the barbarians away, and only without the barbarians could they return home. Furthermore, the kind attitude of these few soldiers helped dispel his wariness.

"I don't know much about military matters, but when we came up the mountain, we noticed that most of the Northern Barbarians were moving from west to east. Also, looking down from the mountain, we haven't seen any large groups of barbarian cavalry for three days."

Luo Fang’s eyes lit up. "That is good news."

Old Man Liu, however, smiled bitterly. "Not for us. Because the barbarians have scattered into smaller groups, the chances of us being discovered are much higher. We haven't dared to come down the mountain for days, and many have already starved or frozen to death up here."

Xue Chengqian signaled to Luo Fang, who immediately understood and ordered some rations to be distributed to Old Man Liu.

"Uncle Liu, staying on the mountain is not a solution. Even with food, you cannot withstand the bitter cold. It is best to follow the forest path and make your way to Wangjiang City."

"The Nu River is frozen. As long as you avoid the barbarians, you can cross the river directly. There, you will find food and shelter; it will at least keep you alive through the winter."

Old Man Liu’s group of refugees consisted mostly of the elderly, the weak, women, and children, possessing no real "utilitarian value." However, there were only about a hundred of them, and compared to the scale of people outside Wangjiang City, they were hardly a burden. In these chaotic times, one could only save as many as one could.

Through the information provided by Old Man Liu, they had gained a general understanding of the movements of the main barbarian force. "Moving from west to east... does that mean they have no intention of retreating yet? Are they truly going to drag this out until next spring?"

Luo Fang felt a splitting headache. Xue Chengqian replied, "If I were the leader of the Northern Barbarians, I would persist in exactly that way."

"So far, we haven't heard of the barbarians capturing any major northern strongholds. Without the protection of large cities and defensive passes, they cannot establish a firm foothold in the north. Therefore, aside from looting, this entire invasion might end in failure."

Kang Yu interjected, "How can it be called a failure? Our northern border defenses are completely gone; they must have been destroyed by the barbarians!"

Luo Fang cautioned, "Kang Yu, don't interrupt. Listen to Brother Xue."

Xue Chengqian smiled slightly. "What Kang Yu said hits the nail on the head. Having tasted blood this time, the barbarians will certainly want to raid the south frequently in the future. Thus, they will do everything in their power to weaken the Great Liang’s defensive capabilities."

"First, they will try to capture major northern strongholds. Even taking one large city would be a massive shock to Great Liang. If it becomes known that even high city walls cannot stop the barbarians, the morale of the Liang army will plummet."

"Second, even if they have to endure the bitter cold and risk the mass loss of their livestock and horses, they will drag this out until spring. If the entire northern region misses the spring planting, next year will surely bring catastrophe. The Great Liang’s national strength will be severely damaged, and how then could it resist further barbarian invasions?"

"Indeed," Luo Fang muttered. As an ordinary soldier, he had not understood the broader strategic picture, but after hearing Xue Chengqian’s words, the fog had lifted. Kang Yu felt a small sense of pride, as Xue Chengqian had just validated her point.

"With our current strength, there is no need to worry about what their main force intends to do while moving east. We only need to note that the barbarians are mostly operating in small cavalry groups."

"We will focus only on the bones we can chew! We will consume them bit by bit and grow stronger ourselves!"

Over these past few days, Xue Chengqian had observed enough. While Luo Fang might lack in other areas, his ability to train troops—beyond his sheer courage—was undeniable. He was likely better than many ordinary generals in the Liang army, a significant advantage for their side. If they could keep winning small battles and seizing spoils, the tens of thousands of refugees would no longer be a burden, but a nearly inexhaustible source of manpower.